Harry Manx Recovers Prized Instrument Following Airport Theft

World music bluesman Harry Manx suffered a personal loss last Friday (February 21) when his beloved mohan veena — an Indian stringed instrument resembling a guitar — was stolen from Chicago's O'Hare International Airport. Thankfully, the British Columbia resident's luck has turned around, since the police have recovered Manx's instrument.

In his original Facebook post, Manx explained that he had owned the mohan veena for more than 20 years. He wrote, "There's hardly been a day that I haven't played it. I feel as though I've lost a good friend."

Security footage showed a man picking it up and walking away, and yesterday (February 24), the same man was apprehended when he returned to the scene of the crime with the aim of nabbing more luggage. He gave up the location of the instrument, and Manx will return to Chicago next week to retrieve it from the police.

In a new message on Facebook, Manx wrote, "There's no way for me to express the gratitude I have to everyone for helping out, but I would like to say that the generous outpouring of support has uplifted my spirits and renewed my faith in the kindness of strangers."

Manx previously told Exclaim! the history of his love of the mohan veena. Watch a video about it below.